Employees of Montgomery County Public Schools next school year will get a raise in February under contracts approved by the Montgomery County Board of Education Thursday with the three unions that represent staff.

The fiscal 2014 agreements provide a step, or longevity, increase for eligible employees and a 2 percent raise for all others, effective on Feb. 8, 2014.

The salary increases will cost the system $18.6 million in fiscal 2014. This is $6 million more than was originally recommended by Superintendent Joshua P. Starr to be set aside for compensation increases. Starr changed his request to the school board the night the board approved the budget to add the extra funding.

The agreements recognize staff while also “acknowledging the current economic realities” said Board of Education President Christopher S. Barclay.

Douglas Prouty, president of the Montgomery County Education Association, the county’s teachers union, thanked the school board for its continued support.

The teacher’s union contract, as well as the contract for the union that represents administrators - the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals - were ratified by employees and approved. The contract with the union that represents service workers, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 500, is still being ratified and was tentatively approved.

Starr said that he is impressed with the school system and unions’ “relentless commitment” to interest-based bargaining.